Having a Hissy Fit

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Day 1379

It was weird being on the M25 again, my first time in four years, everything seemed to be whizzing past so fast, far faster than we drive in Australia, but maybe it was just the jet lag.

We had collected the hire car from Hertz, a little Kia Ceed, we were offered an upgrade to an Audi A4 for another twenty five pounds a day, but we were not interested, originally they wanted one hundred and twenty five pounds, but it must have been the initial look on my face that put him off trying to drive, (in his eyes) that bargain.

It was the most beautiful morning and we were heading clockwise around the M25, towards Junction 24 (Potters Bar and Welwyn Garden City) we both felt completely wrecked from the last flight and worked it out that our travelling from Jan and Teds House, to here was around 30 hours so far.

We arrived at my sisters at around 07.30 quietly knocked on the door, when she opened it the four years I had been away just melted way, it was good to be back. Caroline had had the pleasure of been here just under two years ago when she was last in the UK.

With Tea and Toast on the go immediately we are greeted by the rest of my sisters family, Harry, 15 years old and 6ft 3, Lily,13 who had grown in to a beautiful young lady, Gary my Brother in law, all who made us feel very welcome and it was nice to be back.

We took up the offer of a shower and started to feel marginally human again, and with tea and toast in side us the balance of our world was starting to equalise, we sat around the dining room table and regaled some of our adventures being mindful of the fact that we did not want to bore anyone or overload them with information, and as we were so tired, I am sure we were not making that much sense anyway.

It was about 10.30 when Jane said that she would take us down to see my mum, in her care home and that in the passage of time, my mother may have changed a little, then again, so have we all.

Oh wow, it was great to see her, and the passage of time had been kind, in fact mum looked absolutely fantastic, at 83 years young, she seemed very happy and attentive, it was so good to see her as she looked just so good.

It was like we had never been away and sitting in her room some of the staff came by and introduced themselves to Caroline and myself and said that we have heard all about you, which was nice.

We stayed just about an hour and the jet lag was starting to tap us on the shoulder and tell us that we needed some sleep, so we made our apologies and said we would be back tomorrow.

We drove back to my sisters place where we picked up our luggage and headed for our hotel, just around the corner, checked in and went straight to our room.

I’m sure I was asleep, before I actually got on the bed and it didn’t seem five minutes before there was a knock on the door.

Caroline opened the door and a lady was explaining that my sister had just called and would she “give us a knock” as it was five o’clock, we had been asleep solidly for five hours, Caroline had said to me that she had woken up a couple of times and tried to get off the bed and just couldn’t.

We showered and dressed and walked over the road to my sisters house, we both felt completely shot away and totally out of it, but needed to try to bring back some rhythm to our sleeping pattern as soon as we could.

The weather was absolutely beautiful and my brother in law, Gary had flashed up the BBQ which was already cooking, soon we were tucking in to our dinner which was great.

I think we only lasted until about nine o’clock and decided we were tired and it was time for bed, and headed back to the hotel.

We were up throughout the night, two o’clock, four o’clock and so on until eventually to surrender and switch the TV on and make a cup of tea, without trying to disturb each other, when we were both fully functioning at around six am, we decided to go and walk around Stanborough lake to get some exercise and the morning was just beautiful.

It was great to be back and as we walked we recapped on our crazy journey over the past four years, what we had achieved and the amazing people we had met.

Three quarters of the way around the lake, we came by a gaggle of geese, the Gander was happily doing his thing, enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the morning while the goose must have had her cranky head on and wanted a fight, so much so that she padded towards us, hissing like mad.

Possibly it’s not that appropriate to laugh at this beautiful creature, when she is having a “hissy fit” literally, and I could just hear in my mind, the Gander, saying to “his wife”, “ahh just leave these humans alone love, let it go.”

But oh no, she was not having any of this, this goose just wanted to have her say and not let us pass.

Caroline and myself retreated until we have devised a plan, I said to Caroline that we needed to do “the old Kangaroojack decoy move” and when she said “what is that?” I said that I was still working on it.

As mother goose, calmed down, we strode past her as her attention was drawn away and were smug that we had gone past her without getting pecked.

The rest of the walk was without incident and we were soon back in the car heading back to the hotel and for our breakfast.

After our well deserved full English breakfast we got ready for our day, we popped in to see my sister and her family then whizzed off to see mum again. But of course that was only after we popped into town to do a little shopping and more importantly pick up a sim card for Caroline’s telephone so that we had an active UK mobile telephone number for the duration of our trip.

An afternoon nap was in order, not ideal really but the jet lag easily catches up with you, in the evening we went out for dinner at TGI Fridays, but of course we did not have a late night and were sound asleep by 10.

The following morning saw another exceptionally early start and another walk around the Stanborough Lakes, we saw our favourite Goose again, but this morning she was unperturbed by our presence as we strolled past with ease.

Another visit to my Mum and a morning drinking coffee with my sister and we were soon back on the M25 heading South to the next part of our adventure.

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Photos

Having a Hissy Fit
This goose, was was having a Hissy Fit,Literally

My Mum
My Wonderful mum, Mary

Travel Pressy
From Ted and Jan, our flight parcel for our anniversary

My favourite Girls
Jane,Lily Caroline and Mum